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Becoming God’s Child

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    Since the beginning of time, God has desired a close, special, intimate, personal, one on one, relationship with mankind.

    Each evening God himself walked and talked with Adam & Eve in the Garden of Eden – until Adam & Eve’s SIN separated them. Sin created a huge gulf or chasm between God and man. But God knew this would happen, so He set in motion His plan to bring salvation to mankind.

    In the meantime, God gave the pattern and instructions for a tabernacle – a portable tent – that served as a place where God could meet with man. The people were required to bring sacrifices for their sins, and God would roll their sins ahead for a year. God would only meet with one man (the high priest) once a year.

    Solomon, and later King Herod, built temples in which the people could worship God. Still, God observed their sacrifices and offerings, but did not have the personal relationship with man that He desired.

    Then God “robed himself in flesh”, and became a man named JESUS. For 33 years, he lived among us – a perfect, sinless man. Now He was living “with” us, but not “within” us! He gave Himself as the sinless sacrifice for our sins when He was crucified on the cross. His death on the cross, and the blood that He shed, built a bridge across the chasm created by sin. Now, man could have his sins forgiven. Jesus was then buried, rose from the dead, and some days later, ascended back into heaven.

    Fifty days later on the “Day of Pentecost”, God poured out His Spirit on the 120 believers waiting in an Upper Room in Jerusalem. NOW, God himself could live within man and commune with man – anytime, anywhere, about anything…  And with anyone that would invite Him in!!

    Where do we find the plan of salvation for the New Testament church?

    1. The Gospels

    The first four books are called “The Gospels”. In them, we find four men’s accounts of:
    Jesus’ birth
    Jesus’ ministry and miracles
    Jesus’ death
    Jesus’ burial
    Jesus’ resurrection

    There is no mention of the church in these books.

    2. Acts

    This book documents the birth of the church on the Day of Pentecost. God poured out His Spirit on the waiting believers, and then through them, reached the world with the gospel.

    3. Epistles

    These were letters written to saints (believers) and churches that had already experienced the plan of salvation.

    Let’s examine the book of Acts:

    • Chapter 1 – Jesus told the disciples to wait in an upper room until His power would come upon them.
    • Chapter 2 – Here is the account of the first outpouring of the Holy Ghost. 120 people were filled with the Holy Ghost (including Jesus’ mother). Peter stood up to explain to the curious crowd what had happened. In his preaching he recounted a quick history lesson and then explained to them that they had crucified the Messiah. They were convicted, and cried out, “What shall we do?” Peter answered with a three step plan of salvation:

    1. Repent,
    2. and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins
    3. and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

    This plan of salvation was experienced by 3,000 additional believers on the day of Pentecost, and then the gospel spread to other Jews, Samaritans, and then to the Gentiles.

    Let’s examine three accounts given in the book of Acts that illustrate this plan of salvation experienced by the early church:

    Note in each story:
    How they were baptized (italicized and bold) and
    What happened when they received the Holy Ghost (bold)

    Acts Chapter 2

    1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
    2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
    3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
    4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance
    * * *
    37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
    38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
    39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the LORD our God shall call.
    40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
    41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

    Acts Chapter 10 

    1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band,
    2 A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.
    3 He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.
    4 And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.
    5 And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter:
    * * *
    44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
    45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
    46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
    47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
    48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.

    Acts Chapter 19 

    1 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,
    2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
    3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism.
    4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
    5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
    6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

    YOU can experience your own personal Pentecost!

    “Then Peter said unto them, Repent,…” (Acts 2:38)

    Repent:

    • means to turn away from sin, and turn toward God
    • to turn from sin…to feel regret or contrition, to change one’s mind (Webster)
    • to go the opposite direction – away from sin, and toward God

    John preached repentance:

    • “…Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 3:2″
    • “John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.” Mark 1:4

    Jesus preached repentance:

    • “…except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” Luke 13:3
    • “And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his (Jesus) name among all nations…” Luke 24:47

    Peter preached repentance:

    • “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Acts 2:38
    •  “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.” Acts 3:19
    • “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” II Peter 3:9

    Paul preached repentance:

    •  “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:” Acts 17:30

    “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins,…” (Acts 2:38)

    Baptism is necessary for salvation:

    • “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; …” Mark 16:16
    • “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us…” I Pet. 3:21

    Baptism must be in Jesus Name:

    • “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12
    • And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” Colossians 3:17

    The disciples baptized everyone in Jesus Name:

    • “(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)” (Acts 8:16)
    • “And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.” (Acts 10:48)
    • “When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.“ (Acts 19:7)
    • “And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” Acts 22:16

    When you are baptized in Jesus Name, your sins are remitted, forgiven, washed away, never to be remembered against you!

    “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.“ (Acts 2:38)

    The Holy Ghost is for everyone:

    • “For the promise (of receiving the Holy Ghost) is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” Acts 2:39

    The Holy Ghost is a necessary part of the plan of salvation:

    • Jesus said “…Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). This is speaking of water baptism and the baptism of the Holy
      Ghost.
    • Peter said, “…ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Acts 2:38
    • Paul said, “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” Romans 8:9

    Speaking with tongues is the consistent evidence that each one received the Holy Ghost.

    • The Apostles & Mary (the mother of Jesus)
      “And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James [the son] of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas [the brother] of James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren….And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Acts 1:13,14, 2:4
    • Cornelius and his household
      “While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them…For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.” Acts 10:44,46
    • Disciples of John the Baptist
      “And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.” Acts 19:6
    • Paul – “I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all:” I Corinthians 14:18

    In summary,

    The scripture reveals 3 facets of salvation:

    Repentance

    Remission of sins in Jesus Name Baptism

    Receiving the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues

    Paul called this “the Gospel”! “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel…how that Christ died for our sins…and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day…” I Corinthians 1:1,3,4

    We experience the gospel when we’ve experienced the plan of salvation:

    Jesus died; We die in repentance
    Jesus was buried; We are “buried in baptism”
    Jesus rose again;  We receive the Holy Ghost & new life!

    When you have experienced repentance, baptism in Jesus Name and the infilling of the Holy Ghost, you have been born into the family of God. Jesus is now your Father, and you are His child.

    Paul wrote it this way:
    “…as God hath said, I will dwell in them and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters…” II Corinthians 6:16,18

    You are a CHILD OF GOD!

     

    By Brenda Moore
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    Jesus Won’t Pass You By

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    Life Reference: Mark 6:41-44, Matthew 14:19-21

    Focus Verse:

    And straightway He constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while He sent away the people. (Mark 6:45)

    I find it interesting that Jesus sent the disciples on vacation (or so it looks like) while He took care of crowd control. If we look in the preceding verses, we find that the disciples had just finished the busy task of dispersing food to the hungry crowd of over 5,000 men plus women and children.

    Notice the verse states Jesus constrained them. Constrained means He compelled them; it was necessary…Jesus realized the need to get away once in a while.

    Life Reflection:

    There will always be someone to minister to; someone who needs your attention or needs something from you. What plans can you make to take time to get away and recharge your battery so that you can more effectively minister?

    And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray. (Mark 6:46)

    Even Jesus took time to get away to pray and regain strength both spiritually and physically. Notice He took time to get away from everyone around, even His disciples. He exampled the need of getting into your prayer closet alone.

    And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land. (Mark 6:47).

    It was growing late when they reached the middle of the sea. Meanwhile, Jesus was alone in the mountain praying. From this place of prayer, He could see the disciples and the storm they were encountering out on the sea.

    Life Reflection:

    No matter what you face in life, Jesus is always watching over you. He sees you where you are and knows exactly what you’re going through.  How does this change your perspective today?

    And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them. (Mark 6:48)

    The 4th watch is thought to be around 3am in the morn… it is thought that they started out around 6pm. What should have been a few hours trip had taken them 9 hours just to get halfway across.

    Jesus is watching from the mountain and sees them fighting against the storm that is buffeting them. They are trying to get out of the storm on their own…by their own strength and power….yet they are not making much progress, if any.

    Life Reflection:

    How many times do we do that when we encounter trials and situations? We try to figure out how WE can fix it…what WE can do to change or make things better rather than calling on JESUS and asking for His help.

    None of the Gospels record the disciples praying for help although I’m sure by now they were to the place they definitely were. Remember, Jesus had His eyes on them the whole time….He could see exactly what they were going through. And now He decided it was time to step into the situation….so here comes Jesus walking on the water with waves rising and crashing around Him and the winds trying to buffet Him. Yet the elements could not harm Him for He was its Creator robed in flesh (1 Timothy 3:16).

    To Mark, it looks like Jesus is ready to walk right on past leaving them to fight and struggle on their own until they cried out in fear. While Matthew records Jesus as coming directly to them. Matthew realized Jesus would not pass them by. He was confident Jesus would never leave or forsake them (Matthew 14:25-26).

    Jesus would NOT pass them by! And He will not pass us by either when we’re in the midst of a trial. He’s watching from a distance, allowing us to go through things so we can grow stronger in our faith and walk with Him. Eventually, He will say enough is enough and come walking on the waters (situations) that are threatening to drown us.

    Life Reflection:

    We do not know His purpose or His plans for our lives.  So, until we see and understand, we need to rest in the assurance that He is our Loving Father and He’s looking out for us. If He cares for the grass and the birds in the field, how much more do you think He cares for you?

    Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall He not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? (Matthew 6:30)

    Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. (Matthew 10:31)

    But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows. (Luke 12:7)

    When storms arise, some may question whether they are in the will of God or not. After all, if Jesus really said it, if this is really the will of God, then we shouldn’t be going through all this hardship, right? Wrong!

    That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: (I Peter 1:7)

    God allows us to go through trials so that He may receive glory out of it. People watch how you react and handle situations.

    Life Reflection:

    Are you becoming BITTER or are you becoming BETTER? Do you have a VICTIM or a VICTOR mentality? Are you submitted, praying “not my will but Thine be done”, or are those merely words while you are fighting against the storms and trying to do things your own way without considering God’s?

    But when they saw Him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out:
    For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately He talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid. (Mark 6:49-50)

    Sometimes we get so wrapped up and focused on our problem that we are not spiritually discerning. We feel God has forsaken us and we are all alone with waves crashing around us ready to overtake us. We don’t recognize that Jesus has just stepped on the scene… all we see is the trouble surrounding us.

    The disciples were still unsure it was Him even after He spoke to them. Peter had to put forth a fleece to confirm that it really was Jesus! (Matthew 14:28-31)

    And Peter answered Him and said, Lord, if it be Thou, bid me come unto Thee on the water.

    And He went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered.  (Matthew 14:28-31)

    The winds didn’t cease immediately when Jesus stepped on the scene, but they did once He stepped into their boat. God allows us to go through trials to strengthen us, to teach us things, and to build our faith so that we can learn to trust Him more.

    How is it that the disciples could so quickly forget the mighty miracles Jesus had performed? Things that were not humanly possible yet they had witnessed it with their own eyes? Just a few hours prior they had watched in amazement as Jesus fed 5000 men plus women and children with only 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. They had gathered up all the extra after everyone was filled…12 baskets FULL. It didn’t seem logical or possible, yet, with God all things are possible.

    For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.  (Mark 6:51-52)

    It was easy to believe then. That was the tingly, feel good service where everyone’s shouting and receiving blessings with joy. But as soon as they left the church service, the storm arose and their faith is gone….they were not understanding that Jesus is still God whether it’s in the good times or the bad.

    Life Response:

    He’s with us when we are blessed and He’s with us when were distressed. He’s still God and NOTHING can separate us from Him! (Romans 8:38-39)

    So, whether you’re witnessing the miracle of the 5 loaves and 2 fish or you are struggling out of the tumultuous sea of trials, remember Jesus IS watching over you and He is with you! He loves you very much!

    And when they had passed over, they came into the land of Gennesaret, and drew to the shore. (Mark 6:53)

    You will come through whatever trial you’re going through and safely reach the shore. Just keep your eyes on Jesus and place your trust in Him. He won’t pass you by!

    BY DEONNA GREGORY
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    Whose Image Do I Bear?

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    Life Reference: Genesis 1:27, 5:3; Luke 20:19-26

    Focus Verse:

    “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them” (Exodus 20:4–5).

    Have you ever walked down a hall of carnival mirrors? The first mirror shows you pencil thin. Wow! This is not too bad. You move to the next mirror. You are grossly overweight. Move on. As you stroll down the hall, your reflection undergoes wacky transformations. Each optical illusion is a shock—bulging Atlas muscles, an inflated head, exaggerated limbs. Mirror after mirror distorts your image into comical, coarse figures.

    Life Reflection:

    Are you satisfied with your physical image? What about your social or professional image?

    How much time, money, effort do you spend trying to improve your image?

    Whose Image?

    The goal of the chief priests and scribes was to distort Jesus’ image. They constantly tried to trap Him into saying something politically incorrect. One trick question was, “Should we pay taxes?” (Read Luke 20:19-26.)

    Had Jesus said no, the Romans would have put His name on the no-fly list. Had He said yes, the Jews would have labeled Him a traitor.

    In reply Jesus called for a coin. “Whose image and superscription is on it?”

    Staring at Jesus’ accusers was Caesar’s engraved image—his pointed chin, his hard forehead, and his dead eyes. It was Caesar’s autographed picture.

    Jesus said, “Give to Caesar the things that bear his image and to God the things that bear His image.” Zip! Jesus’ accusers’ mouths were shut.

    Bottom line: We belong to the one whose image we bear.

    “God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him” (Genesis 1:27).

    What an image! Beautiful! Perfect! But Self squeezed between God and His creation distorting Adam’s and Eve’s vision. When their focus blurred, they lost their paradise.

    “And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth” (Genesis 5:3).

    First, God created Adam in His perfect image, then Adam begat children in his distorted image. After the birth of Adam’s grandson Enos, “Then began men to call upon the name of the Lord” (Genesis 4:26). They yearned for what Adam had lost.

    Life Reflection:

    What did Adam lose in the garden?

    What were the differences between Adam as created in God’s image and the sons of Adam as begotten in Adam’s image?

    Fake Images

    Satan excels at distorting man’s vision with smoke and mirrors, making unholy appear holy, evil appear good, and dirty appear clean. Even as God gave Moses the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai, Satan played mind games with the Israelites, tricking them into thinking that they could fashion an image of God.

    “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them” (Exodus 20:4-5).

    While studying to teach the second commandment to children, I did an Internet search on “idol,” looking for a picture of Buddha and his buddies. Can you guess what I found? Hundreds of links to American Idol.

    We Christians do not bow at the shrine of carved sculptures. After all, we are sophisticated, civilized, and educated. But so is Satan. His mission has been the same since the Garden of Eden, and he is smart enough to match his methods with the times.

    Life Reflection:

    How is Satan attempting today to distort the image of Christ? The image of Christians?

    What images are sophisticated, civilized and educated Christians tempted to worship?

    Name some methods Satan uses to seduce us into idolatry.

    Generation Image

    “I am Generation Image. The generation that speaks in images is making itself heard.” This advertising slogan by Nikon, a leader in the imaging product business, raises a red flag for Christians.

    Do we hear the message Generation Image is screaming from the pages of social media sites? Do we get the picture? It’s all about self—self-image, self-promotion, self-deification. It is the so-called New Age doctrine that is as old as the Garden of Eden. Self-worship is the root of idolatry.

    Like Israel in the time of the judges and kings, the idolatry is engraved into our culture. The only difference is the form of images. Instead of worshipping carved idols, we revere bulging portfolios, velvet voices, pigskin-carrying quarterbacks, and enhanced figures. We imagine making a million (or billion) like him. Starring on YouTube like her. Dictating to subordinates like that guy. Power. Pleasure. Possessions. Popularity.

    What images do our children idolize? Whose pictures are posted on the walls of their rooms? Who are their heroes? Whom do they spend hours watching on YouTube? Whom do they dress like, walk like, and talk like? Our children will become like what they worship.

    Do we envision our children becoming Hollywood stars, country-and-western artists, NFL champions, or American idols? Every day we read about the tragic end of the lifestyle of the rich and famous—perversion, addiction, and suicide. Stop. Reality check. Are we so enamored by the images flashed before us that we unconsciously glorify them by our conduct and conversation? Do our unrealistic expectations pressure our children to live up to a certain image?

    One of the leading causes of death amongst teenagers is suicide. The Centers for Disease control report that it is the third leading cause of death, behind accidents and homicide, of people aged 15 to 24. Even more disturbing is the fact that suicide is the fourth leading cause of death for children between the ages of 10 and 14.

    Taken from http://teensuicidestatistics.com/ Accessed 1/3/19

     

    We stand in danger of being drawn into Israel’s cycle—prosperity, idolatry, immorality, bondage. As we glory in our prosperity, we teeter on the edge of a dangerous precipice, one step away from idolatry. Let us carefully consider our position lest we lead the next generation over the cliff into immorality and bondage.

    “So these nations feared the Lord, and served their graven images, both their children, and their children’s children: as did their fathers, so do they unto this day” (II Kings 17:41).

    Read that verse again. They feared God, yet served idols? Is this possible? Did they go through a form of worship? Showing up for the ceremonies, shouting “Hallelujah” at the right time, bowing their knees, but not their hearts? Yet bringing their sacrifices to the groves, indulging in the sexual perversion, rejoicing in their freedom from the law? Does this sound familiar?

    Revival came to Israel only when they tore down their idols. So, it will come to our lives when we tear down the images that our culture has built upon every high place. The idols must go!

    Jesus, the Master Teacher, often used images to teach eternal lessons. Satan, the great imitator, is not about to let the visual teaching tool gather dust in his tool box. Consider the effect of pornography on our culture and the recent rise in sexting among teens. The master of deceit is still flashing images before our eyes, attempting to infiltrate our minds with his message.

    We would do well to adopt the psalmist David’s consecration: “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me” (Psalm 101:3).

    Life Reflection:

    Is there a connection between preteens’ and teens’ perceived images of success and the suicide rate among them? What can we do to protect our children from the distorted images portrayed by our society?

    It is possible to engage in a ritual of worship in church, while bowing to idols on our computers, iPads, smart phones, and cameras? Discuss.

    Are there idols in your home or life that need to be torn down? When do you plan to do that?

    The Image of God

    For generations mankind struggled in vain to regain the image God created—to be perfect, to be godlike, to be super-heroes. But nothing man did was enough. The carnal man prevailed. Then Jesus came.

    “In whom [Jesus Christ] we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God. . .” (Colossians 1:14-15).

    “And have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator” (Colossians 3:10, New International Version).

    Jesus, God revealed in flesh, the image of the invisible God showed us the way to put off the old man and be renewed into the image of our Creator—the image that Adam lost in the garden.

    Let Me Lose Myself
    (These words are as I remember them.)

    Many years I longed for rest
    Perfect peace within my breast,
    And I often sought the Lord alone in tears.
    But I could not pay the price,
    Would not make the sacrifice;
    So I wandered on and on for many years.

    Then one day while knelt in prayer,
    Jesus whispered to me there,
    “Take up your cross and follow Me to Calvary.”
    Oh, how hard it was to die, and all self to crucify,
    Just to lose myself and find it, Lord, in Thee.

    Let me lose myself and find it, Lord, in Thee.
    May all self be slain, my friends, see only Thee.
    Though it costs me grief and pain,
    I will find my life again.
    If I lose myself, I’ll find it, Lord, in Thee.

    Life Reflection

    Whose image do others see in me?

    Life Response

    Surely God is displeased with the distorted reflections displayed in Generation Image’s mirror. Let us tear down the idols in our lives and worship only at the feet of Jesus.

    We belong to the one whose image we bear.

    My Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me recognize the tactics of the enemy and resist his attempts to seduce me into worshiping at the altar of self. May Your image be reflected in my face, my attitude, and my action. Make me in Your image.  

    More Life with God References

    Romans 8:29
    Hebrews 1:1-3

    Written by Barbara Westberg
    This Bible study is a revision of an article published in the Pentecostal Herald. It is reprinted here with permission.

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